Surgical operating-table.



No. 654,832. I Patented July 3:, I900.

. a. w. HATHAWAY.

SURGICAL OPERATING TABLE. (Application filed Aug. 24, 1899) 2 SheetsSheet WHQCSSCS M. lg y/ l d qllorgcys.

.No. 654,832. Paiented July 3|, I900.

I G. W. HATHAWAY.

SURGICALYOPERATING TABLE.

(Application filed Aug. 24, 1899,)

2 Sheefs8heet 2.

(No Model.)

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NITED STATES PATENT QFFIcn.

GEORGE w. HATHAWAY, OF LAPEER, MICHIGAN.

SURGICAL OPERATING-TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming 'part of Letters Patent N 0. 654,832, dated July 31, 1900. Application filed August 24, 1899- Serial No. 728,340. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern.-

' Be it known that I, GEORGE W. HATHA-' WAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lapeer, in the county of Lapeer and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Surgical Operating-Table, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a physicians and surgeons aseptic operating-table which by the adjustment of certain parts can be easily arranged in various positions to accommodate the performance of the several different operations.

The invention consists, essentially, of'a series of folding sections connected by oppositely-positioned inclosing several parts having legs, adj ustable'braces,

and supporting-rods to arrange the sectionsat varying angles and all adapted to be collapsed or folded within said sections.

'The invention-further consists of the de tails of construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be morefully hereinafter described and claimed.

It has been found difficult to provide an operating-table for surgeons that could be easily reduced to compact form and readily transported from one place to another and wherein particular features of strength were included to accommodate the weight of different patients, which is a paramount matter in consideration. It is also necessary in operatingtables to have them constructed of such ma terial that they can be'readily'st-erilized or otherwise asepticallytreated to avoid injurious results arising from poisonous transmissions. It has also been heretofore a diflicult matter to arrange a table for use for gynecological lithotomy and rectal surgery and also to combine in the same device means for accommodating the Trendelenberg position, as

used in abdominal surgery, and also the necessary position for chloroform narcosis, as well as other operations, and adapt such device to receive the stirrups of difierent forms without employing a cumbersome construction of an expensive and inconvenient nature.

It is the purpose of the present invention to overcome the previous difliculties in'd'evices of this character and produce an operatingtable capable of adjustment to accommodate any one of the foregoing operations and havhinge bars, the

in'g strength snfficient to withstand varying weights of dilferent patients or subjects and preferably to utilize aluminium in the makeup of the several parts, as it can be thoroughly sterilized by boiling or otherwise treated with out injuring the several members of the table and to'r'ender it aseptic.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the table arranged for ordinary operating purposes in full lines and showing different positions in dotted lines for special operations. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of parts of the table, illustratin g anotherarrangement for a diiferent oper ation. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the table shown folded in compact form. Fig.

4 is a perspective view of one of the side inclosing bars or frames. Fig. 5 is a detail view illustrating a portion of one of the braces'and a lock therefor. Fig. 6 isa perspective view of the table embodying additional features of construction. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal verti cal sectional view of a part of the table shown by Fig. 6. Fig. Sis a detail perspective view of a drip-pan attachment.

Similar numerals of reference areemployed to indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The n umerals 1,2, and 3, respectively,desi,, nate a head-section, a central section, and a foot-section of the table, the head and foot sections 1 and 3 being movably attached 'by.

a hinged connection, which will be presently described, to the opposite ends of the central section 2 or to parts intimately connected with the latter. Each of the sections 1, 2, and 3 is formed of thin material and surrounded in part by side and end bonds 4, which depend when the several sections are horizontally disposed and form means forinclosing connected devices. The footsection 3 has its outer end open, but is provided with the side bends similar to the other sections. of the several sections areattached to hingebars 5, 6, and 7, the bars 5 and 7 being against the outer surfaces of the side bends of the'sectionsl and 3 and the central hinge-bar 6 on the exterior of each side of the section 2 and having 'a recess S extending longitudinally of the lower portion thereof and forming a widened plate 9 at the opposite end which has The side bends a lower end offset or ear 10, to which is piv- 11, arranged at an angle to the inner end of.

the hinge-bar 5, the said projection 11 providing means for permitting the two sections at this point to be arranged inhorizontal relation and also afford a convenient hinging construction. These part-sare connected by section 1 to be "swung around the earlO-in folding the several sections in a mannerwhich will be presently set forth, and the bend 4 and bar 7 of the section 3 snugly fit within the known as a rule-joint 12.

recess 8 when the parts are folded, and these last-mentioned parts are preferably attached to the end of the bar 6 and side bend 4 of sec-' tion 2 th'ereagainst by What is commonly Though the pre- I ferredform'of connection of these hinge-bars has been disclosed, it will be understood that they may be otherwise applied, and any form,

of movable attachment may be interposed between the contiguous ends of the sections without detracting from the functions of the same as long as they will be permitted to fold and clear each other, and, further, the positions of the bars and side bends may be varied.

Opposite pairs of legs 13 and 14-ar'e movably-connected to the inner end of the section land the section 3, respectively. The pair of legs 13 are about equal in length to that of the'section 1, and the latter section is of the samelength as the central, section 2. When the table is arranged in position for operations, as shown by Fig. 1, the pair of legs 13 stand at a slight outward incline, while the legs 14 are disposed vertically or in planes at right angles to the said central section 2 Each pair of legs has diagonal cross tie-rods 15- secured thereto to prevent them, from spreading at their lower ends, and at various points in opposite edges of the pair of legs 14 recesses 16 and 17 are formed to accommodate the infolding of the several parts. Above the diagonally arranged cross tie rods 15 transverse rods18 and 19 also respectively connect thepairs'of legs 13 and 14.

- Secured to the section 1, near the inner end verse tie-rods 18 and 19 at the upper portions of the pairs of legs 13 and 14, and their ends are held in engagement with the tie-rods.

Theseveral sections 1, 2, and 3 are supported in-lprizontal position and adapted for use in ordinary operations, and it will be ob-' served by reference to the drawings thatthe parts areall so-united that they will be balanced when a patient is lying on the table, and tilting or rocking is thereby prevented. In addition to the tie-rods mentioned in connection with the several places it will be understood that they maybe disposedat other points and, if necessary, at close intervals, apivot-rod 11, and projection llpermits the the object in view being to hold the braces of each pair in constant parallel relation, so that they will not become easily detachedfrom the rods in the legs 13 and 14, Wh1(3h receive the same'and aiford a stable support as desired. 'Where the opposite pairsof braces come in contact with the rods 18 and 19, the free endsof each of the conjunctive pairs will lie inside "of the ends of the adjacent pair, and as a con-. --venient'means for locking the: braces in confnection with the cross, tie-rods, particularly I the braces 25, the construction illustrated in Fig. 5 has been adopted. The free .end of each of the braces 25, as shown by Fig.7., has an oifset 29, which forms at its inner terminal one wall of an entrance-throat 30 to a slot 31. The slot 31 is disposed longitudinally of the brace, and thethroat 30 opens out at the bottom edge of said brace or the edge that will be the lowest when the braces are in 0perative position. On the inner side of each of the braces 25 adjacent the slot 31 a keeper 32 is pivotally mounted and has its lower free end provided with a transverse slot 33, opening outward from the edge thereof adjacent the offset 29, so that when it is brought down over the said slot 31 or in a plane parallel with the direction of the brace to which it is applied it crosses the entrance-throat 30 to the said slot-31 and prevents disengagement of the connected parts or cross tie-rod 18. B y having the olfset 29 formed on the said braces the latter can be dropped down on the rod 18 and said rod guided-into the throats 30 and then into the slot 31, the inner terminals of the said offsets being at such a distance from the pivotal point of the braces 25 as to about accommodate the distance of the pair of legs 13 to incline outwardly, the said legs having an excess inclination equal to the distance from the inner terminals of the offset to the lower curved boundary walls of the slots 31. While it is preferred that this locking construction be applied to the braces 25, because they have an outward force exerted thereagainst by the pair of legs 13, it will be understood that the other pairs of braces might also be supplied with similar locks.

The end of the central'section 2 adjacent the pivotal point of the inner end of the section 1'is also pivotally attached to the upper outer end portion ofthe central hinged bar6, and the other end of the section 2 is free to be' raised. The lower edges of the side bar of the said section 2 have recesses 34 formed therein which fit down over said pivot for the braces 26, in this instance being a cross-rod 35. Also pivotally attached tov the section 2 are a pair of braces 36, connected by;the tierod 37 adjacent their lower'end, the said ends IIO of the braces 36 being adapted to removably engage the pivotal rod 35 and support the section 2 at the angle shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The section 2 is prevented from being depressed below a horizontal plane by bearing upon the pivot-rod 35, the notches 34 registering with the latter. In Fig. 1 the section is also shown arranged at a downward oblique angle, and to hold the said section in this position the notches 22 are fitted to the transverse tie-rod 18. On the inner sides of the upper portions of the legs 14, or on one of the same alone, a post or socket 38 may be applied for attaching or connecting gynecological stirrups or other extraneous devices used in different surgical operations.

The table, as shown arranged in full lines by Fig. 1 and as before indicated, is for general use or in operations not requiring special support. When the central section 2 is elevated, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and at an obtuseangle to the head-section 1, the table is in a Trendelenberg position, as used in abdominal surgery. When both the head and central sections are at an inclination and in the same plane, a position for chloroform narcosis is provided, and the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 2 shows the table ready for use in gynecological, lithotomy, and rectal surgery. Other positions can be quickly derived from the movable connections .of the several sections and their braces.

In the form of table shown by Fig. 6 additional features are supplied for further adjustrnent of the table to accommodote particular operations. In this instance the sec tion 3 is longitudinally divided to form separate leg-sections 39 and 40, each of which has attached thereto a pair of adjusting-braces 41, similar to the braces 20 heretofore referred to, and operating in conjunction with the rod 18, held by the pair of legs 14. The purpose of this arrangement is to afford a support for one leg of the patient in the event that such operation is necessary, while the other leg may rest against the adjacent downfolded part of said section. In this instance the angle of the section 3 may be changed or a variation in the angle of the separate parts coinposing the same may be had by adjusting the braces 41. Attached to the free end of the section 2 is a rod 42, which extends transversely thereof, and on the rod 35 are also movably mounted a pair of braces 43, which are located inside of the braces 36 and connected at their outer ends by a cross-rod 44,

to which and the rod 42 a leg-rest 45 is se cured by having its oppositeends rolled around or otherwise connected, respectively, to the rods 42 and 44. This attachment is readily foldable Within the section 2, and provides a legrest in certain operations. A drip-cup 46 is also applied to the table in any form, as shown by Figs. 6, 7, and 8. Said cup is of such dimension and shape as to permit an infolding of the same and inclosure by the sections when collapsed. This cup has opposite end ears 47,through which loosely extends the transverse pivot-rod 11. The cup has sloping sides, and attached to the lower converging portion about midway of the opposing sides is a short tube, to which may beattached a small rubber hose 49, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. '7, to convey the washings from the cup directly to a pail or bucket resting on the floor underneath the table. This drip-cup may be used on the table in any form, and the additions shown by Figs. 6 and 7, aside from the said cup, will render the simple form of the table shown by Figs. 1 and 2 of considerably more value and provide superior means of conveniently carrying on the several operations. 1 i

There are several modes of folding the parts of the table, but the simplest consists in first releasing the braces 23 and 26 and folding the former into the section 3. legs 14 are then partially inclosed by the said section 3, and the braces 26 are next folded into the section 2. The braces 20 and 25 are now released, and the former is turned in the 1 section 1, which next receives and incloses the pair of legs 13. The braces 25 are then folded in the section 2, and the section 3 is next folded in the section 2, and finally. the section 1 is folded over all. The parts may thus be compactly reduced for ready transportation, and after being folded in the manner specified the reduced table can be placed. in a papier-mach case or any other suitable in-.

closure for convenience in carrying the same.

As before indicated, at any time after use the entire table may be easily sterilized by boiling without injury to any of the parts, and it may be desirable at times to slightly vary the details of construction,as well as the size and proportions, and such changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advan tages incident thereto.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In a table of the character set forth, the combination of a series of sections having a hinged mounting and adapted to be arranged in horizontal alineinent, and comprising a head, intermediate and foot sections, the head and intermediate sections being of precisely the same length and adapted when folded to completely inclose the foot-section which is shorter, the head-section being hinged at such a point relatively to the top surface of the intermediate section as to extend completely under the lower edge of the folded foot-section when the parts are in folded condition, opposite pairs of foldable legs attached to parts of the sections and of a length equal to the said head and intermediate sections and inclosable by the latter, and pairs of braces attached to the sections at points distant from the location of the means of applying the legs, the said braces having an adjustable attachment with each pair of legs and con verged in pairs toward the latter to prevent The pair of ,movement of the legswhen the table is set up, the said braces being also foldable within thesections.

2. In a table ofthe character set forth, the

combination of a series of sections adapted to be arrangedinhorizontal alinement and'c-omprising a head, intermediate and foot sections, the head and intermediate sections be ing ofthe same length to completely inclose the foot-section whichis shorter, the one end of the intermediate section'being unattached andfreely'movable to and from a horizontal plane,.the head section also being adjustable below a horizontal plane and to 'continue in parts of the sections and of a lengthto pergand adjustably and removably connectable- :to the pairs of legs', the legs being converged the same oblique angle of the intermediate section,- opposite pairs of legs attached to unit folding into the sections, braces attached to the intermediatesection for supporting the latter above a horizontal plane, and other pairsv of braces attached to all of the sections toward the latter from adjacent portions of the contiguous extremities of the sections, 35A foldable table constructed of metal and comprising a head, intermediate and foot sections movably connected in adjacent relation, the head and intermediate sections being the same length and adapted to inclose 'the'shorter foot-sections,hinged bars attached to theopposite sides of said sections, the bars of the intermediate section being formed with under recesses to receive the barsof the footsection, the bars of the head-section being equal'in length and adapted tocover the under edges of the folded bars of theinterme diate and foot sections, the said central section being also free at one end for adjustment above a horizontal plane, legs and braces connected to the several sections and substantially ofthe same length as the head and central sections,'thefoot-section being centrally divided into two parts in a longitudinal direction and having independent pairs of bracesfor supporting the same, the separation of thesaid'foot-section ceasing at the contiguous end of the intermediate section,

braces for adjustably holding the intermediate section at an angle above the horizontal plane, anda leg-rest connected to the unattached end of the intermediate section.

4. A table comprising a series of sections adapted to be arranged in differentangular positions and having foldable adjustable supports, the several sections being foldabl'e in- GEORGE 'HATHAWAY.

Witnesses:

J. R. J onnson, KIRK WHITE. 

